Picking Up the Pieces
by Dakk Tribal
Summary: A sequel to my other NoctisxStella story, this is the after effect of the night the two spent together. Drabble / Noctis x Stella / Rated T just in case


Light was beginning to shine into Noctis' suite, and the man himself was looking out at the horizon. Standing, hands in his pockets, eyes out to the now rising sun, his mind was off somewhere else.

His mind was on the woman sleeping naked in his bed.

Stella.

The blonde beauty was under the black blankets, asleep from all the activity they had done together the night before. Something that Noctis was now feeling rather ashamed about.

He had slept with Stella, but more importantly, he had forced himself on her. At least, that was what he felt he had done to her. But of course, after playing him like a fiddle for a few months, one wouldn't blame him for the way he treated her the night before.

Then why does he feel so terrible?

"Noctis?"

The Prince turned to see Stella awake. Her eyes opening, and looking right at him.

"Stella."

Slowly getting up on her knees, arms over her naked chest, and her long blonde hair falling over her shoulders, "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough," came his answer.

Stella nodded, and stepped out of bed, stepping on the clothes of both her and Noctis. Noctis was wearing pants, and after looking around on the floor, Stella found her blouse and put it on without doing the buttons. She didn't feel the need to totally hide her body. From what had transpired during the night, there wasn't an inch of her that Noctis had not seen.

She grabbed Noctis by the arm, holding herself to him, and snuggling her head into his shoulder. The gesture normally would've made the Prince a bit uncomfortable, but he didn't mind when it was Stella performing the deed. He heard her give his name in a short whisper, "Noctis…"

Feeling his arm against the bare skin of her chest as surprisingly warm, Noctis turned his head to Stella, "You're hot…"

Stella raised her head to look up at her prince, "Thank you."

Noctis felt the heat rise in his cheeks, that surprised him yet again, "That wasn't meant to be a compliment, I just meant your skin is hot…not that you aren't beautiful anyway."

Putting her hand to his cheek, Stella smiled that all too familiar smile that Noctis had a special liking for, the kind of smile that could calm the storm that was his soul. "Have I ever told you how cute you are when you're flustered?"

Putting his hand over hers, "I think I heard you say that last night. Though I admit I cannot remember when it was—"

"It had to be before our little…confrontation, since you made me scream all sorts of things _during_ the night—"

Stella's words just made Noctis chuckle, and he pulled himself away from her. He decided to play her little game, "Thank Etro that I have sound proof walls."

Stella giggled and started to play with the buttons on her still undone blouse with her fingers, "I will say this, Noctis, you did give me a hell of a good night's sleep, but I do love how I got that sleep."

The prince went back and laid on his bed, the shiny black covers reflecting the light of the slowly rising sun, "Truth be told, I thought I nearly broke you at one point."

Stella went and sat on the edge of the bed, her right hand running itself over her lover's left arm, "If you did any damage, it was a mere crack. It takes a lot to break me."

Noctis put his hands behind his head and kept his eyes on Stella as she got under the covers with him. Both of them were silent as Stella made herself more comfortable, putting her left leg around both of Noctis' and laying her head on his sternum. Neither of them were tired enough to sleep, but they didn't seem to want to speak at the moment.

What felt like hours went by before Stella spoke again, ending the silence, "By the way…Am I still your prisoner?"

Clearly she was referring to her trying to kill him, only to choke at the last minute. Noctis placed his left hand gently on Stella's head, stroking strand of her long blonde hair, "As long as you want to stay you are, but if you want to leave you can."

"But you know very well what my decision would be," Stella said, moving herself to where she was now straddling his hips, looking down at Noctis with what one could call loving eyes.

Noctis sat up slowly, placing his head against her chest and putting his hands around her waist, "True…but it can't last forever, you know." The words had trouble coming out of his mouth, mainly because he knew that if—and when—she left him, they both knew their fates were sealed.

Stella ignored him; instead pushing Noctis back a few inches before she slowly took off her blouse, revealing her chest fully to him again, "I don't want to think about that."

Noctis pulled himself to Stella, placing his head back against her chest, "But right now, you're a prisoner. _My_ prisoner."

Stella found her smile returning to her lovely face, and when Noctis turned his gaze up to her, she leaned down and gave him a quick kiss on the corner of his mouth. She pulled away, "If this is prison, I must admit it feels like paradise at the moment."

The prince smirked as he led his hands down Stella's sides to her hips, "I think you're right, Stella."

And as long as she was with him, it was the closest thing to paradise Noctis was ever going to have.


End file.
